महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-142, verse-16

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यो हि कश्चिद्द्विजं हन्याद्गां वा लोकस्य मातरम् ।
शरणागतं च यो हन्यात्तुल्यं तेषां च पातकम् ॥१६॥

16. yo hi kaściddvijaṁ hanyādgāṁ vā lokasya mātaram ,
śaraṇāgataṁ ca yo hanyāttulyaṁ teṣāṁ ca pātakam.

16. yaḥ hi kaścit dvijam hanyāt gām vā lokasya mātaram
śaraṇāgatam ca yaḥ hanyāt tulyam teṣām ca pātakam

16. hi yaḥ kaścit dvijam vā lokasya mātaram gām hanyāt,
ca yaḥ śaraṇāgatam hanyāt,
teṣām pātakam ca tulyam

16. Whoever would indeed kill a Brahmin (dvija), or a cow—the mother of the world—and whoever would kill one who has sought refuge, their sin is equal.

Words meanings summery:

(Scroll down for elaborated words morphology)

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

हि (hi) - emphasizing the truth of the statement (indeed, for, surely)

कश्चित् (kaścit) - anyone, someone

द्विजम् (dvijam) - a Brahmin (dvija), a twice-born

हन्यात् (hanyāt) - would kill, should kill

गाम् (gām) - a cow

वा (vā) - or

लोकस्य (lokasya) - of the world, of people

मातरम् (mātaram) - (the cow as) mother of the world (mother)

शरणागतम् (śaraṇāgatam) - one who has come for refuge, a refugee

च (ca) - and, also

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

हन्यात् (hanyāt) - would kill, should kill

तुल्यम् (tulyam) - equal, similar

तेषाम् (teṣām) - of those (who commit such acts) (of them, their)

च (ca) - and, also

पातकम् (pātakam) - sin, transgression, evil act

Words meanings and morphology

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what (relative pronoun)

Masculine nominative singular.

Note: Subject of the first 'hanyāt'.

हि (hi) - emphasizing the truth of the statement (indeed, for, surely)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

कश्चित् (kaścit) - anyone, someone

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kaścid

kaścid - anyone, someone, some, any

Indefinite pronoun, masculine nominative singular, from 'kim' + 'cid'.

Note: Functions with 'yaḥ' to mean 'whoever'.

द्विजम् (dvijam) - a Brahmin (dvija), a twice-born

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dvija

dvija - twice-born (referring to Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya), a Brahmin, a bird, a tooth

Compound of 'dvi' (twice) and 'ja' (born).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dvi+ja)

dvi – two, twice
indeclinable
Numeral.
ja – born, produced from
adjective (masculine)
From root 'jan' (to be born).
Root: jan (class 4)

हन्यात् (hanyāt) - would kill, should kill

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of han

Optative (Liṅ)

3rd person singular active, from root 'han'.

Root: han (class 2)

गाम् (gām) - a cow

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of go

go - cow, ox, cattle, earth, heaven, ray of light

Accusative singular.

Note: Object of 'hanyāt'.

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Connects 'dvijam' and 'gām'.

लोकस्य (lokasya) - of the world, of people

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, people, realm, space

Root: lok (class 1)

Note: Modifies 'mātaram'.

मातरम् (mātaram) - (the cow as) mother of the world (mother)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of mātṛ

mātṛ - mother

Accusative singular.

शरणागतम् (śaraṇāgatam) - one who has come for refuge, a refugee

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of śaraṇāgata

śaraṇāgata - one who has come for refuge, refugee, seeker of protection

Past Passive Participle

From 'śaraṇa' (refuge) + 'āgata' (come).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śaraṇa+āgata)

śaraṇa – refuge, shelter, protection
noun (neuter)
Root: śṛ (class 1)
āgata – come, arrived, obtained
adjective (masculine)
Past Passive Participle
From 'ā' (prefix) + root 'gam' (to go) + 'kta' (suffix).
Prefix: ā
Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Functions as a noun, object of 'hanyāt'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what (relative pronoun)

Masculine nominative singular.

Note: Subject of the second 'hanyāt'.

हन्यात् (hanyāt) - would kill, should kill

(verb)